Lawmakers to debate budget today
Legislators are expected to begin debate on the 2023 budget today, December 20 in the House of Assembly (HOA) at the Save the Seed Energy Centre in Duffs Bottom.
The $399.33 million budget is the first for Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr Natalio Wheatley and his Government of National Unity since taking over as the territory’s leader earlier this year.
More than 83 per cent of the budget — some $335.08 million — is expected to be directed towards the territory’s recurrent expenditure, with just $41.59 million being allocated for capital expenditure, the Premier said.
Premier Wheatley announced during his budget speech weeks ago that the Health Ministry will receive the largest share of the recurrent allocations at $73.07 million or 18.3 per cent.
According to the territory’s leader, estimated revenues for 2023 are $373.03 million with some $352.64 million of this amount coming from taxes. The remaining $20.39 million is expected to come from other revenue sources.
The Premier further noted that next year’s inflation rates are expected to be lower than 2022 (6.4 percent) and are projected to be in the region of 4.2 per cent.
For the past few weeks, lawmakers met with members of the Standing Finance Committee (SFC) where they were expected to meet with all government departments and statutory bodies to examine their operations for the year ahead.
In his budget speech, the Premier expressed that the people of the BVI have done a remarkable job at economic development and financial management.
He said this success has come despite the list of difficult circumstances experienced over the past five years such as the Commission of Inquiry (COI), and its damning report. He also alluded to the ‘demanding requirements’ of the implementation of the COI recommendations, among other reforms committed to by his government.
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Who cares? I have lost interest in the House of Assembly meetings. We have no one in there who could do a proper debate and capture my attention. Like everything else under this government it has gone to the dogs. So sad.
Politicians have become useless since the COI, absolutely no more help to us….Just mere rubber stamps now
Who want to listen to those toy soldiers flapping their gums. They had no balls to stand up for the country after the COI and willingly handed over all authority to the Governor. Waste of precious time. I will not be listening to these naked emperors.
Slow news day I see. Nobody want to hear those jokers. The House of Assembly has been reduced to a rubber stamping institution. I have no faith. I wouldn’t be burning my electricity to be listening to them
With the heavy hitters gone andrew carvin vincent willock the thing is dead dead dead
include payment of all increments into that budget due for retirees, civil servants and senior citizens, please, please please!!!
I suppose all of the condescending remarks from bloggers about the elected officials is because the COI has forced the process of issuing government services to be more transparent.
What do these A** Clowns have to say? None of them are economists or accountants. Just a bunch of jokers that need voting out ASAP